Isti Marta Sukma

tech policy, cybersecurity, AI/ML, Indo-Pacific

PhD student in political science & public administration at the University of Warsaw. My research intersects three disciplines of policy research, emerging technologies (cybersecurity, AI/ML, quantum tech), and geopolitics, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific. I also serve as Regional Research Associate for the Indo-Pacific Studies Center (IPSC) and Commissioning Editor for E-International Relations (E-IR).

In political science, we are often told to choose between becoming theorists or scientists. I strive to be both.
I frame the big questions on politics and technology and build the computational tools to answer them.

I am currently developing techno-realism, a political theory that examines how non-state actors such as Big Tech, NGOs, hackers, and transnational networks reshape data governance and challenge state sovereignty.

Bridging theory and method, I combine qualitative coding, network analysis, and NLP methods using Python and machine learning to examine policy diffusion, cyber governance, and security partnership mechanisms.

Beyond academia, I bring four years of industry experience in digital platforms, content governance, and QA, including work with EU-based tech and consultancy firms. I also contribute to The Diplomat and Medium and present regularly at international conferences.